Transforming the textile sector - Pakistan
In Pakistan, there are over 70 per cent of the commercial banking sector, 100 per cent of the textile and telecommunications sectors, and a significant part of the cement, sugar, automobile and fertilizer sectors are in the private sector. Within infrastructure development, besides telecommunication, the private sector has been active in the power sector. UN Women has partnered with private sector companies to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment. UN Women Pakistan works to create the harassment-free environment in the public and private spheres, specifically for women.
UN Women partnered with Soorty Enterprises Pvt. Limited to support them in their capacity building of their 200 female workers. Together, they developed a gender sensitivity training program; addressing workplace harassment, discrimination and promoting female health, financial inclusion and effective reporting mechanisms.
"We became a WEPs signatory back in 2020. We have a production facility in Bangladesh that is almost exclusively women [and] started off with engaging with the community very directly, which is somewhat unprecedented in Pakistan. We partnered with young women and instituted [a] gender sensitivity program throughout our factory units. In the context of COVID, we placed special emphasis on anti-harassment and anti-domestic violence because it was spiking at that period.“ said Mobeen Ahmed Chughtai, Senior Manager for Corporate Communications and Corporate Social Responsibility at Soorty Enterprises Pvt. Limited, during his discussion at the recent WEPs 101 webinar.
He added that their awareness and capacity building focused on (i) health and well-being (ii) sexual harassment (iii) domestic violence and (iv) livelihoods enhancement, with the aim to raise awareness and create a conducive and safer workplace; and the company will continue working towards implementing the WEPs.